Lighter



April 29, 1952 C, A, FOR-HN 2,594,631

LIGHTER Filed MaICh 29. 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET l W52 :i i 06 MMA/forma @Mma" gi-7;?, M

Alfil 29, 1952 c. A. FORTIN 2,594,631

LIGHTER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed March 29, 1950 Patented Apr. 29, 1952iiiii'i ST LIGHTER Charles A. Fortin, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, assignorto Paul Pauliot, Cote des Neiges, Montreal, Quebec, Canada ApplicationMarch 29, 1950, Serial No. 152,665

l Claim. i

I ntroduction This invention relates to automatic pyrophoric lightersfor cigarettes or cigars.

There have been many designs proposed for lighters of this type and manypatents granted. Many of these lighters are most serviceable, but theypossess certain disadvantages in the mechanism, making them dimcult tomanufacture and in some cases dilicult to operate.

One of the more common disadvantages of prior designs is that they arediilicult to operate. One type depends on straight downward pressure ofthe thumb. In this type, the thumb pressure acts directly against thespring pressure. The more you press the greater the resistance of thespring. This means that the lighting movement instead of beingaccelerated towards the end of the stroke is slowed up by the increasingresistance of the spring.

Other lighters have a diagonal movement which is more horizontal thanvertical. In this type, the return spring for the actuating lever ishighly subject to breaking or else if the spring is not strong enough itwill not return the lever to closed position.

Applicants development The applicant has now developed a lighter whichavoids the disadvantages of both types, but possesses their advantages.

Accordingly, the present invention is a pyrophoric lighter having incombination with a fuel reservoir, a wick extending from the reservoir,an abrasive wheel rotatably mounted above the reservoir, and apyrophoric member resiliently maintained in contact with the abrasivewheel, a pivotally mounted actuating lever adapted to rotate theabrasive wheel, and means whereby the actuating lever is guideddownwardly and rearwardly upon depression and is resiliently returned toits original position in a forward and upward movement.

More speciiically, a preferred construction of a lighter in accordancewith the invention includes a hollow casing having a base portion and atop portion so as to constitute a fuel reservoir with the lightingmechanism mounted on top or the casing. This lighting mechanism includesa wick tube and a flint tube that extend within the casing body with thewick and flint protruding from the top portion. A substantially U-shapedbridge member is removably mounted on the top portion that includes abase portion and upstanding side walls extending from the base portionand an abrasive wheel and a snufer cap are rotatably mounted on a commonhorizontal shaft between the upstanding side walls, the abrasive wheelbeing mounted so as to contact the int extending from the casing.

The actuating lever of the lighter is of a substantially U-shaped formin general cross section and includes a pair of extended side portionsat the front end that are pivotally connected at each side to thesnuffer cap, this pivotal connection being positioned above and forwardof the axis of the abrasive wheel. A pair of spaced apart rollerbearings are mounted on a shaft extending horizontally across theactuating lever adjacent the other end, and a cam block mounted on thebase of the U-shaped bridge member is adapted to guide the rollerbearings ina downward and rearward motion upon depression of the.actuating lever. centrally by a slot and a connecting rod pivotallymounted between the actuating lever roller bearings extends through thisslot and is connected to a spring mounted in a recess in the rear of thecam block. With this arrangement the spring is compressed by thedownward and rearward movement of theactuating lever so as to bearagainst the rear of the block and upon release of the lever is adaptedto act against the connecting rod so as to raise the roller bearingsforwardly and upwardly over the cam surfaces of the block so as toreturn the actuating lever to its original position. In an alternativearrangement of the actuating lever return means, the connecting leverbetween the roller bearings and spring is pivotally mounted on the camblock and a spring is inserted in a recess provided in the cam block sothat an extended portion of the connecting lever bears against thespring and compresses it within the block when the actuating lever isdepressed.

As a further alternative form of construction the double roller bearingsare replaced by a single roller and the cam block. is formed so as tohave a substantially centrally disposed recess adapted to house a coilspring with the cam block slotted along both sides axially of therecess. The connection between the roller bearing and the spring is madeby providing a pair of connecting lever arms that extend along the sidesof the cam block. These lever arms are pivotally connected, one at eachside to the roller bearing, the other end of the lever arms beingconnected by a pin extending across and adapted to slidably ride in thecam. block slots soas to engage the end of the spring andcompress it Thecam block is divided within the block when the actuating lever isdepressed.

Detailed description Having thus generally described the nature of theinvention, particular reference will now be made to the accompanyingdrawings illustrating a preferred embodiment, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lighter constructed according to theinvention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the lighter shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section along the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross section view similar to that of Figure 3, showingthe lever in intermediate position.

Figure 5 is a sectional view of Figure 2 along the line 5 5.

Figure 6 is a detail view of a portion of the lighter in sectioncorresponding to Figure 3 and illustrating an alternative arrangement ofthe lever return linkage mechanism.

Figure 7 is a detail of a portion of the lighter in sectioncorresponding to Figure 3 and illustrating a further alternativearrangement of the return linkage mechanism.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of a lighter partiallyin section and corresponding to Figure 3 illustrating an alternativearrangement ci roller bearing and lever return linkage mechanism in theuppermost or normal position.

Figure 9 is a detail view corresponding to Figure 8 illustrating themechanism in intermediate operating position.

Figure 10 is a detail view corresponding to Figure S illustrating themechanism at the end ci the downward and rearward operating stroke.

Figure 1l is a sectional view along the line Ei-lI of Figure 8.

Figure l2 is a sectional view along the line 2--I2 of Figure 9.

Referring more particularly to the drawings illustrating a preferredconstruction of a lighter in accordance with the invention, the mainbody of the lighter is made up of a casing I6 having a base l2 and a topportion It press tted into the ends of the casing I as shown so as toprovide a reservoir A adapted to contain lighter fluid. The base I2 isbored and tapped to provide a threaded counterbored opening I5 and athreaded closure screw I3 having a suitable vasher it is provided so asto provide a means of nlling the reservoir A. The base i2 is also boredto provide a second opening 2D and a iiint tube 2.2 having one end pressfitted in this opening, extends through the reservoir A to acorresponding opening 241 provided in top portion i4. The end of thetube 22 extends slightly beyond the surface of the top portion I4 and iscapped by an outstanding ange 2S through which the iiint B protrudeswhen the lighter is in operative condition. The lower end of the Flinttube 22 is threaded internally and a spring il and threaded screw 32 areprovided so as to maintain the flint B in operative position.

rEhe top portion I also includes a tapped opening' 3d and a wick tube 36having a threaded end 38 is engaged in this opening with the body of thetube 36 extending into the reservoir A. The threaded portion 38 of thetube 36 is slightly larger in diameter than the main body of the tube sothat the wick tube can 'be easily inserted or removed from the casing Ias required for servicing. The portion cf the tube 3S extending 4 abovethe top portion I4 is formed to provide a wick holder 40 from which theend of the wick protrudes as indicated at 42.

The operative portion of the lighter is mounted on a substantiallyU-shapedV bridge portion M that includes a base portion 46 and flanges4S which extend upwardly at each side from the base portion 4t.Preferably, the nanges i8 are formed so as to accommodate the usualarrangement of an abrasive spark Wheel 5E), a ratchet spring, and asnuier cap these being operatively mounted on a shaft 51 rotatablymounted in the anges 48 so that arcuate movement of the cap rotates thewheel 5G. This portion of the lighter is common and is well known in theart.

The base 45 of the bridge portion lill illustrated is provided with acentrally disposed U-shaped slot which, when the bridge 44 is mounted onthe top portion I4, is adapted to slidably iit under the flange 25 ofthe flint tube 22. If desired the side walls ci the tube 22 can beslotted at each side so as to engage the base portion 45 at each side ofthe slot SB.

An actuating lever 62, having a substantially U-shaped form in generalcross section, is mounted between the anges 5.18 of the bridge andincludes extended end portions St which are pivot-ally connected eachside to the snuffel` Cap 5E as indicated at Sii. A pair oi spaced apartroller bearings ES are rotatably mounted adjacent the rear end of thelever 62 on a shaft 'Ill which extends across the lever. Between therollers 68 and connected pivotally to the shaft 'I is a rod which passesthrough a slot 7d formed in a cam block l.

The cam block lG is formed so as to provide the curved cam surfaces 'I8adapted to guide the travel of the rollers '38 with the slot llicentrally disposed so as to allow the rod 'l2 to pass between both sidesof the block. The end of the rod l2 remote from the shaft l!! isconnected to a cone shaped coil spring which bears against a recess 82provided in the inner surface of the block le. In the embodimentillustrated the end of the rod l2 is split and bifurcated as indicatedat 8&3 to retain the rod l2 in engagement with the spring. Alternativelythe end of the rod l2 could be screw threaded and provided with a springretaining nut.

An opening 86 is provided in the base portion of the biock 'h3 and acorresponding opening S3 is provided in the base d5 of the bridge lid.These openings are adapted to register with a tapped opening Si! in thetop portion i-l when the U-shaped slot 69 is slidably engaged with theend of flint tube 22 and a screw 92 is inserted through these openingsso as to retain the block 'i6 and the bridge portion 44 to the head Zii.This arrangement makes the removal of the entire top portion of thelighter a simple matter. By merely removing the screw 92 and sliding thebridge ill back so as to clear the slot 69 from engagement with the endof the wick tube 22 the whole top including the snuffel cap 56, thelever 62, and the actuating mechanism including the cam block 7B can belifted from the main body of the lighter.

An alternative construction of the cam block 'Z5 and lever return springmeans is shown in Figure 6. In this embodiment the cam block I'I is notslotted clear through but is recessed as indicated at vI ill) to provideclearance for the movement of a connecting rod I |32 pivotally connectedto the 'block as indicated at IM. The upper end of the rod |02 isprovided with a hook portion |99 adapted to engage the shaft 10centrally of the rollers |58, and the lower end includes an oil'- setextension |90 terminating in a bulbous end i i9. In this form ofthedevice the cam block |15 is bored to provide the recess and a spring 22is mounted within this recess so as to act against the end of the rod.In this construc tion a screw |92 passes through the block |16, and thebase t9 of the bridge 44 and is threadably engaged in the top portion i4as indicated at |20. Figure 7 illustrates an alternative connecting rodH2 in which the rod end ||4 is formed so as to provide an openingthrough which the shaft 10 passes to form a pivoted connection, thisconnection being made centrally of the rollers 68 as in the previousconstructions.

With particular reference to Figures 8 through 12 of the drawings, afurther alternative form or construction is illustrated in which theroller bearings 58 are replaced by a single roller beard ing E98 mountedfor rotation on a shaft |10 extending across the actuating lever 62. Thecam block |15 used in this form o the device includes av curved camsurface |18 adapted to guide the travel of the roller bearing |68 and asubstantially centrally disposed recess |00 adapted to accommodate acoil spring |82. The cam block 15 also includes slots |13 extendingalong each side axially of the recess |80 and a pair of connecting leverarms |90 disposed at each side or" the block |15 are pivotally connectedat one end adjacent the roller bearing |68 with the other ends retainedin spaced apart relationship by a pin E92 adapted to extend across andslidably ride in the cam block slots |73 so as to enga-ge the end of thespring |82.

With this arrangement the downward and rearward travel of the rollerbearing |68, as caused by the depression of the actuating lever e2, istransmitted through the lever arms |90 sliding the pin |92 along the camblock slots |13 and compressing the spring |82 within the cam block. Thecam block |75 is provided with openings l94 and |99 so that it may beremovably secured to the bridge portion 44 and top portion ifi of thelighter casing by means of screws |91, 698 in the same manner aspreviously described.

Operation In use the lighter is operated by pressing the lever 92downwards causing it to retract in a rearward and downward direction,the cam surraces of the cam block acting as a track on which the rollers58, or |68 ride, and so guide the lever 92 in its downward and rearwardpath. As the end portions 64 of the lever 62 are pivotally connected tothe pivotally mounted snuffer cap 55, the cap 56 is lifted in an arcuatemovement causing rotation of the flint wheel against the int B causingthe sparks which light the wick.

Upon release of the lever 62 it is returned to its original position bymeans of the spring or in the alternative arrangements, the spring ||2or |82 so that the snuiTer cap 56 descends over the wick extinguishingthe lighter.

As will be understood by the preceding explanation and the accompanyingdrawings, a lighter constructed in accordance with the present inventionprovides an actuating movement that is positively guided in a downwardand rearward movement calculated to give a full stroke to the flintwheel with the minimum of operating pressure, and further provides astructure in which the lever return spring is under levered compressionrather than direct compression as is common in prior art lighters ofthis nature.

I claim:

In a pyrophoric lighter, a casing constituting a fuel reservoir, a U-shaped bridge member mounted on said casing including a base portionand upstanding side a-nges extending from said base portion, an abrasivewheel mounted for rotation in a horizontal axle between said upstandingflanges, a snuier cap pivotally mounted on said abrasive wheel axle,means operatively connecting said snuffer cap with said abrasive wheel,an actuating lever pivotally connected to said snuier cap above andforward of said abrasive wheel axle, a roller bearing mounted forrotation on a shaft extending across said actuating lever adjacent theend remote from said snuffer cap, a cam block having a roller guidingsurface and an internal recess mounted on said U-shaped bridge memberbase, said cam block being p-rovided with elongated slots extendingaxially at each side of said cam block recess, a coil spring seated insaid cam block recess, and a pair of spaced apart elongated linksextending along each side of said cam block, each of said links beingpivotally connected at one end to said roller bearing shaft, a pinmounted between the other ends of said elongated links remote from saidroller bearing shaft said pin slidably fitting in said cam block slotsand extending across said cam block recess so as to engage the outer endof said coil spring seated therein.

CHARLES A. FRTIN.

REFERENCES CTC'ED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

